Internal-combustion engine



4 sheets-sheet 1 Filed June 14, 1926 Flc. 1.

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' Marchv 4, A1930.

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INTERNAL couusTIoN ENGINE L. L. MEAD 1,749,542

Filed June 14. 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 l il) INVENTUR W4 L2/i md Marh 4, 1930.

INTERNAL coMUsTIoN ENGINE Filed June '14, 1926 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTUR fmmd if L. L. MEAD 1,749,542y y March 4, K L. MEAD I INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGI-NE l v Filed June 14, 192e 4 sheets-sheet 4 FIG.

FIC-L12.

In u kelmpenfg' 'Patented Mar. 4, 1930 l LAURENCE LEIGH' MEAD, or oAnrJrNvILLE, ILLINOIS INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE Application file d .Tune 14,

. type has failed to achieve the success attained by the reciprocating type, presumably on ac count of a lack of eiiiciency and completeness in detail, which are after all the 'essential eley ments which mark the line between success and failure in invention. The words are quoted-from the Scientific American of May 13, 1911 on The Valveless Engine by H. H. Gordon of the United States Patent Oihce.

The object of this invention isto supply such 2o completeness in detail and add to the eiiiciency of this type of engine. The same article states that the rotating valve as a rule has a larger frictional loss than a reciprocating valve. To oli'set this however, we have the ability to give the valve better turning, and a complete absenceof inertia effects. It

standsto reason that two valve sleeves of the same size and otherwise identical should havethe same frictional loss, even though one is moved ,longitudinally and the other about the axis. If the rotary moving valve has the greater frictional loss, the loss must lie inthe application of the driving force, rather than in the difference of direction of the two move'- v ments. Thisinvention has much to do with this fact. In a reciprocating sleeve the driving'force is applied to .one side, and successful .sleeves of this type are, very long, and the shorter they are, the greater the frictional 40 loss. If their length were reduced to a mere ring, the friction would be so reat thatthey would be practically immova le. But this invention has to do' with rotary sleeves.y The rotary isgenerally driven by a ring gear attached to .one end of the sleeve and actuated by a spur connected by gearing to the crankshaft, in which case the valve itself serves =as a rather clumsy shaft or axle for the ear, and its casing as the bearing for the s aft.

rs This ring gear is a gear wheel, but it diiers 1926. Serial No. 115,898.

from most..gears in having no'central hub. The place where its hub and axle should be is occupied by the pitman, therefore it may be said that this engine has a serious defect.

'- To attempt to turn any gear wheel or other 55 A wheel without a" suitable axle or spindle is to occasion great rictional loss. Imagine a vehicle wheel with a hub nearly as large as the rim of the wheel and we may easily under- L stand why the frictional loss of the rotating sleeve is greater than the reciprocating. To have great frictional loss is also to cause excessive wear, and as the driving force is applied to one side only, the wear 1s also on one side only. A wear on one side would tend to throw the valve sleeveoi1 its true axis as will be shown in the attached drawings, and wouldA resultl in faulty contact of the sleeves at the port openings with leaky compression and loss of power. In the case of an engine where the valve -gears are enmeshed in a train and drivenfrom a single gear, the aforesaid wear and friction would be increased in proportion to the number of valves in the train; the rst driven sleeve having the greatest friction and t5 the last sleeve the least. From the foregoing it wouldappear that the rotary sleeve valve engine is short lived and impractical, unless some means should be devised to overcome this excessive frictional loss. The chief obso ject of this invention is to provide the valves with a means for carrying the load due to thrust of the drivin mechanism and thereby prevent rubbing o `the valve on adjacent parts resultant from said load. The said a5 means being a spindle or axlev operatively connected with the valve and so disposed as to carry said thrust in the proper manner. In the' case of the ring gear arrangement'hereinbefore referred to wherein the thrust has -a tendency to "shove the valve from its axis,

it appears necessary, in order to accomplish the desired result, that the ring gear be rolled against another rolling element; a rolling contact being considered far better than a sliding and grinding contact at this point. The rolling elements are operatively connected with the aforesaid spindle or spindles in such av manner that the entire thrustof the actuating mechanism is carried 911 the spin-v. v100 dles, and there is'no rinding of vthe ring gear or the valve on the rame at this point. As

spherical rollers have been designed to. take the place of a missing axle. On the contrary they are usually 'placed so as to carry the weight of the valve in the vertical typeswhich is insignificant in the smaller engines, and 0ccasionally to carry end thrust dueto cylinder.

pressure. c

In the carrying out of my invention 'I have incorporated certain construction details which have little to do with this invention except to improve its appearance and practicability details.

The rotary valve sleeve with multiports is old in the art'and it is not my intention to devote much space to a description of its construction and operation. There is no quesand I do not limit myself to these tion it has points of superiority over the rei ciprocating valve sleeve, having no lost motion and being absolutely vibrationless as far as the valves are concerned, thereby adding somewhat to the power outputand the qulet running of the motor. It has peculiar adaptability to the conditions met with in designing valves for the Otto cycle engine. The diiiculty encountered in designing link motions for reciprocating Vvalves is well known. Therefore wemay lassume that a rotary sleeve 'valve engine which is perfectly balanced and as lon lived as the reciprocating valve engine an readily taken apart and assembled should be much superior to any reciprocating sleeve engine. I attain the aforesaid objects by the mechanism illustrated, in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a vertical cross section through cylinder and crankcase showing the antifriction rollers bearing against the driven end of the sleeve. Fig. 2 is ahalf diagrammatical sectional view of the valve sleeve in its casing exaggerated to illustrate the harmful effect caused by the thrust of the driving spur for which said antifriction device is a remedy. Fig.l 3 shows a modified form of the antifriction device employing the use of balls or rolls and annular race'instead of fixed rolls. This view also shows the valve shaft bearing with the crankcase detached from the cylinder bloc. Fig. 4 isa longitudinal vertical section on the line A- A of Fig. 1 through the crankcase and two cylinders, with certain parts broken away for convenience. Fig. `5 1s a view looking at the underside of the cylinder bloc illustrating the fixed rolls and means for adjusting same, certainbolts shown in section for convenience." Fig. 6 is 'a detail view of the valve shaft'15 bearing in modified form. Figs. 7 to 11 are cross sectional views through the cylinders and valve sleeves showing the valve in its various positions in the valve cycle. These views .show a double sleeve, the inner sleeve fixed, this invention being adaptable to both double and single sleeves. and exhaust on the same side, it being obvious that the geometrical -design of these valves permit of any desired arrangement of .casing ports. Fig. 13 shows. the application to a multiport casing.

In Fig. 7 the valve is inposition at the middle of the suction stroke withv exhaust ort closed. In Fig. 8 both ports are closed or compression. In Fig. 9 both yports are still closed for firing, yetf have moved one sixteenth of a revolution. In Fig. 10 the intake remains closed and the exhaust is wide open in the midst of the expulsion stroke. Fig. 11 shows the exhaust closing and the in- -take about to open at the top of the expulsion stroke, and the cycle is repeated. The ports are automatically open the widest when the piston has attained the highest velocity and vice versa.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the several views. Referring especially to Figs. 1 and 4, the numeral 1 represents the crankcase, 2 the crankshaft journaled in bearings 3. The crankcase is usually divided into two parts 4 and 5 on the line 6 and held together by bolts 7 and lugs 8. The cylinder 12 is secured to the up er crankcase portion and-is composed pre erably of acasin 15 and a sleeve valve 16, telescopically an revolubly mounted therein. This sleeve valve may be held againstlongitudinal movement in any suitable manner, as by a rim or flange 72 adapted to turn in a seat 7 3. In this construction it is necessary that the head be detachableand the ring gear 19 be removable, as will befmore fully described hereinafter. The piston and itman are shown at 17 and 18. In the type o sleeve valve shown in the drawings, the valve is usually turned by a ring gear whichisheld against rotation with respect to the valve in some suitable manner, and it is in turn driven from the crankshaft by some suitable gearing, as by the gear 20. I have shown the gears v2() mounted on a shaft 24 andthe shaft turned by a link belt 21 running over toothed pulleys 22 and 23. Often in this t pe of engine the ring gears 19 are enmeshedY and driven by a single driving gear which only multiplies the load on the first driven gears, and the driver should be Situated, .Ileal the middle 0f Fig. 12 shows -a casing with inlet the string to reduce this multiplied load. InFigs. 1, 2, 4, and 7 to 13 the ports in the valve sleeve are indicated at 25, 26, 27, and 28 While in the casing the inlet port is indicated at 29, and the exhaust port at 30.

If it is desired to atrix the ring gear 19 to the valve in such a manner as to be easily removable, I propose to provide the lower extended end of the valve with longitudinally disposed slots 31 engaging feathers or keys 32 on the inner face of the gear. The gear is held against longitudinal movement on the sleeve by a shoulder at 35 and a screw ring and lock ring 33 and 34.

In order to provide the gear shaft 24 with suitable bearings, I suggest the form of bearings shown in Figs. 1, 3, 4, 5, and V6. In the type of engine in which the cylinder is detachable from the base, the cylinder base may be provided with a bracket 13 with a rib 14, and a bearing seat 37 is aiixed to the bracket 13, and the cap 36 affixed to the crankcase. When the I crankcase and cylinder block are assembled the gear shaft 24 is normally held between them as in a pillow block. When the crankcase is removed the shaft 24 is held to seat 37 by a clipor strap 40 so.' that the timing -of the valves is not disturbed. Of course these bearings should be bushed or babbitted as at 38 and 39. What may be a better form of bearing is shown in Fig. 6 in which the cap 41 lis of the usual adjustable type, held in place by the cap screws 42.

As mentioned hereinbefore, the rotary sleeve valve as .heretofore constructed is with- -out a suitable axle for lts drlvmg gear, the

a heavyload, as for instance the type of valve wherein the ports are sealed by cylinder pressure, and still further n'iultiply'this load by eni'neshing these gears in a string. and we can imagine what a tremendous strain would be imposed on the driving mechanism. ButI lpropose to provide the valves with an axle which will carry'all lloads that may be imposed on the gears, and an axle which will at the same time be not in the way ofthe pitman. To provide the rotary sleeve valve with an axle appears to be an entirely new idea in View of the prior art and I feel justified in claiming this ideain its broadest sense. In the type of sleeve valve shown in the illustrations attached I propose to carry out this idea in the following manner. I provide the ring gear 19 with a concentric rim as for instance the rim 47 which is adapted to roll against another rolling element so that the hollow gear is guided and held to its normal axis by the said rolling elements. In the attached drawings, Fig. 1, I have shown the rollin element as a roll 44, provided with a spinde 46, and this rolling element shouldv be as large and durable as the nature of the construction'will admit. In Fig. 5, I have shown a plan View of these lrolls looking at the under side of the cylinder base and have placed'the roll 43 so that it will meet the shoving action of the gear 20, and also show another roll 44 with a spindle 46 which serves as a guiding means against any tendency of the hollow gear to be thrust in that direction. It maybe possible that these rolls and spindles can be made sutliciently durable as to wear a reasonable time without a take-up, but I have provided a means of adjustment if one should be required. The spindles 45 and 46v are mounted on lever like arms 48 and 49 which swing on the fulcrums and 5l secured to the cylinder base, and their opposite ends provided with a slot and bolt clamping means 54 and 55. This construction permits the rolls to be swung against the roll track or rim 47 to take up any possible wear on them. By placing the rolls at a point adjacent to the fulcrums 50 and 51 the greater amount of strain is placed on the fulcrums and thereby reducing the strain on the clamps 54 and 55 which ,are held only by friction. As a further precaution against slippage of the clamps, the abutting screw 56 is threaded through thelug 57 and brought to bear against the arms 48 and 49. The number of rolls depends on the nature of the requirements, and any suitable adjustment may be employed. I have shown only two rolls as they appear to be chiefly required on that side upon which the wear occurs and on the opposite side I have shown a section of sliding sur-l face 60 which may lsuice to guide the hol-A `low gear, although a roll or two which is non adjustable might better serve.

Fig..3 shows a modified form of this rolling contact in the shape of rollers which are interposed between the ring gear 19'and adjacent parts and roll around in a suitable race. These rollers are shown here in the spherical form, commonly calledV balls, although they mayl be cylindrical or conical. Referring to the drawing the so called balls 62 roll around in the race in the annular cup 65 which is suitably held in the annular recess 66 in the cylinder base. The cone race is indicated at 64. The form of roll bearing shown here is designed to carry a combined radial and end thrust, which is the species of thrust exerted by the spiral gear shown. The balls 63 oppose the balls 62 and the bearing assumes the form of a hub bearing, and is therefore adjustable, the adjustment being accomplished by means-of the screw ring and lockring 33 and 34 which engage threads on the lower end of the valve and slide the cone 64 along the valve, .the-valve and cone being provided with the slots 31 and keys 32,

to prevent turning on thesleeve. This-type of rollers maybe .objectionable because -they are too far from the center and subjected to too much wear for much the same reason that sliding bearings are objectionable, but rolling contact here is greatly preferable to sliding and grinding. And this objection may b'e overcome to some extent by reducing the speed of valve travel by the use of multiports. If we should attempt to use the rolling bearings described herein and not makeany further changes in the construction we would in'd that thesleeve valve still performed as the axle for .the gear'19 and the casing as the bearing; and the herein described rolling e bearings would'not function at all. The reason for this is clear. The valve and casing beingin snug contact atthe point where the rin gear is attached, would not permit any radial movement of the ring Wheel, and it would be held away from anycontact with the rolling elements. It is necessary that this gear should have somefreedom of movementv in a radial direction in order to make contact with these rollers, and at the same ,time not disturb the concentric alignment of -the ported end of the valve. This maybe accomplished as is shown in the drawings by providing a space indicated by the shade line 61, in Figs. 1 and 4 and by a broken line in Fig.v 5 and more clearly in Fig. 3. This permits the valveggear 19 slight freedom of movement 'radially' while the ported end of the valve remainsin close sealing contact. In Fig. 5 the space 61 is indicatedas only part way; around, it being thought that the gear and valve are shoved to that side only in the species of valve shown.

In Figs. 1 and 4, the cylinder head extension 7 0 is shown with a recess 71, which communicates with the extended end of the ports, one for each port in the casing, thereby increasing the size of the. ports andaiding in` the lquick escape of gases. j

The partly diagrammatical view in Fig. 2 is intended to show the ill eifects'resulting from lateral thrusts and the necessity of using antifriction bearings as just described. The number 15 designatesthe jacketed casing, l16 the valve sleeve, 25 and 27 the valve ports, and 29 and 30 lthe casing ports, 20 the driving spur vand 19 the driven,ring gear.

The direction of thrust of the driver is indicated by arrows and the sleeve is shown slightly oil' its airis,l a shoulder is worn in the sle'eve at 6 7; the sleeve isapart from its cass 'ing at 69 through which space the compressed gases may escape to the crankcase. This is of course exaggerated but such a condition Illaymexist in'a'more er less degree.

As Yshovvnin Figs. 7 to 13-preferably a four port sleeve is used in this engine which is o the Otto-cycle type, the Aports being space In other words, during a uarter of a 'revolution ofthe valve, the cran shaft makes two revolutions and the piston four strokes. For a complete revolution of the valve, the-crankshaft makes eight revolutions and the piston sixteen strokes. Itbeing known that each separatey inlet and exhaust valve opens and closes during approximately one stroke of thel piston, it follows that a given point in the valve lshould travel one-sixteenth of a revolution as each valve port opens and closes, or 22%o of the circle. Each valve opening should have a width of approximately lll/4eo- 'varying in accordance-with the lead giventheexhaust and the retarding of the inlet valve.l Assuming the piston and the inner circumference of the valve to be four inches in diameter and the stroke five inches, the valve will travel about 121/2 inches during a complete revolution while the piston jtravels 80 inches, or for a four inch stroke 64 inches. In either case the valve travel does not exceed 15 the piston travel.

What I .claim is l 1. In aninternal combustion 'engine of the class described the combination of a suitable cra-nkcase, crankshaft,pitman and piston; of a' cylinder` casing mounted thereon with a sleeve valve telescoped and insliding revoluble contact therewith, with ports adapted to register; of actuating mechanism connected with the crankshaft forsuitably actuating said valve, and"means for carrying the radial load of said actuating mechanism and preventing rubbing of the valve on adjacent parts resultant from said load; said means eing a spindle so disposed as to carry said thrust or load; said spindle being operatively connected with said valve by parts rotatively co-operating with said spindle.

2. In an internal combustion engine of the class described, the combination of a suitable crankcase, crankshaft, pitman and piston; of a cylinder casing mounted on the crankcase with a sleeve valve telescopically disposedl within the casin with suitable ports; of actuatingmechanism adapted to transmit a suitab e operating with said spindle.

turning motion from the crankshaft to the valve; means for carrying the 4radial a ported sleeve valve telescoped and in sliding revoluble contact therewith; the valve being driven by a gear of annular formation;

,a means for turning said gear by a thrust on the rim and parallel to the tangent of said gear, said thrust tending to shove the gear and valve from its axis; means for meeting said shove by a rolling contact interposed between the rim of the annular gear of the valve and the frame of the engine, and thereby preventing uneven wear ofthe valve on its casinfr. f

if. In an internal combustion engine, the

crankcase and crankshaft, pitman and pis-V ton; a cylinder casing on the crankcase with a ported sleeve valve telescoped and in sliding contact therewith; a screw gear on said valve, a rim on said gear, said valve held to its axis by moving and guiding connection with the ,frame of the engine; a means for turning said gear on the rim by a thrust and parallel to its tangent, said thrust tending to shove the gear from itsaxis; means for meeting said shove by a rolling contact interposed between the rim of the gear and thev frame of the engine, and thereby preventing rubbing of the gear on the frame.

5.- An internal combustion engine having a frame and a crankcase, crankshaft, pitman land piston; a ported cylinder casing onthe crankcase and a ported sleeve valve telescoped and Y in concentric, sliding contact therewith at theports; the valve being actuated by an annular 'gear operatively connecti ed with the valve, said gear being held to its normal axis by moving and gulding connection with surrounding parts; a rolling contact interposed between the gear and the frame of the engine for preventing friction between said gear and the surrounding parts caused 'by the thrust of the actuating means, said actuating means being a thrust transmitted froxnthe crankshaft and applied to the periphery of the gear; means for permitting slight radial movement of the gear from its normal axis, independently of the concentric alignment of the valve and the casing at the 6. In an internal combustion engine of the class described, the crankcase, crankshaft, pitman and piston; a cylinder casing on the crankcase and a sleeve valve telescoped therewith the usual ports; the driven end of the valve being of hubless, annular cross section, and held to its axis by moving connection with adjacent fixed elements; a force transmitted from the crankshaft for actuating said Valve by a thrust on one side of the axis thereof; means for carrying said thrust and preventing rubbing of the valve on adjacent xed elements resultant from said thrust;

' said meansbeing a fixed revolubleroll with a j suitable spindle so disposed that the driven end of said valve should. roll thereagainst and be held to its axis; substantially as, and for the purpose described.

. 7. In an internal combustion engine of the class described, thecrankcase, crankshaft, pitmanand piston; a cylinder` casing on the crankcase and a sleeve ValV telescopedtherewith with the usual ports; theend of said valve projecting into said crankcase, and held to its axis by moving connection with adj acent fixed elements; means from the crankshaft for actuating said valve by a thrust on one side of the axis thereof; means for carrying said thrust and preventing rubbing of the valve on adjacent fixed elements resultant from said thrust; said means being a plurality of fixed revoluble rolls with suitable i spindles, and so disposed that the driven end of said valve should roll thereagainst and be held to its axis; substantially as and for the purpose described.

8. An internal combustion engine of the class described having crank case and crankshaft, a cylinder casing mounted thereon havlng a piston with pitman connections with a crankshaft, the fixed parts of the engine comprising the frame thereof; a rotary sleeve valve mechanism telescoped with the cylinder casing and in slidable revoluble contactl therewith; said valve having ports to register with the casing ports; mechanical lmeans for preventing rubbing contact and Wear of the sleeve against the frame of thel engine comprising fixed revoluble rolls adjustable wlth respect to the valve sleeve, and so placed as to oppose the lateral thrusts on the valve caused by the valve actuating mechanism; said valve actuating mechanism being a force transmittedyfrom the crankshaft and acting on one side of the sleeve for causing suitable rotary movement of the same; all substantiallyas described herein.

9. An 4internal combustion engineI of the class described, having crank case and crankshaft, a cylinder casing mounted thereon and a sleeve valve mechanism telescoped Within the casing with ports to register with the casing ports, the sleeve in slidable revoluble contact With the casing; the fixed parts of the engine comprising the frame thereof; means connected with the crankshaft and acting on one side of said valve sleeve and adjacent to the periphery thereof for causing suitablerotary movement of the sleeve; mechanical means for preventing rubbing contact and wear of the sleeve against said frame of the engine resultant from thrust of the driving mechanism comprising fixed revoluble rolls adapted to bear against said sleeve, the rolls aixed to an arm adapted to swing from one end, the other end clamped against movement and movable and adjustable with respect tio the sleeve; the usual piston reciprocating within the valve sleeve and adjacent vto the pivotedend thereof, substancasing, with pitman connections with the crankshaft; all substantially as described.

10.4 For the rotary sleeve valve engine herein described, the Xed revoluble rolls 43, attached to the swinging arm 48, the rolls adapted to bear against the sleeve 16, the arm 48 having the slot and clamp 54 at the movable end; said rolls being aiiixed to .the arm tialy as described and for the purpose specil1. An internal combustion engine of the class described having a crankcase and crankshaft, a cylinder mounted thereon, the xed partsl of the enginecomprising the frame thereof; a combustion chamber Within the y cylinder and a piston operating `therein having pitman connections with` the crankshaft; a sleeve valve and casing in Working cooperation with the combustion chamber; means for causing suitable rotary movement of the sleeve valve from the crankshaft acting on one lside of the valve and adjacent to the periphery thereof; means for preventing rublloing contact and Wear of the valve on one side of said frame caused by the resultant thrust of the valve driving mechanism, said means being rolling bearings running in an annular race, all substantially as described.

' 12. An internal combustion engine of the class described having a crank case and crankshaft, a cylinder mounted thereon, the Xed parts of the engine comprising the frame thereof; a combustion chamber Within the cylinder and a piston operating therein havl y ing pitman connections with the crankshaft;

a sleeve valve and casing in working cooper;

vation with the combustion chamber; means for causlng suitable rotary movement of the sleeve valve from the crankshaft acting on one side of the valve and adjacent to the perlphery thereof; means for preventing rubbing contact'and wear of one side of the valve sleeve on 'said fra-me caused by the resultant thrust of the valve drivingv mechanism, said means being adjustable rolling bearings running in an annular race, all substantially as described. o

LAURENCE -LEIGH MEAD. 

